Sound-absorbent shield for walls of studios and the like



Oct. 8, 1.929. P. A. RovB'BlNs Y. 1,730,529

SOUND ABSORBENT SHIELD FOR .WALLS OF'STUDIOS AND THE LIKE lmm1 Nov. so, 1928.

a I i C l f i my l l Patented Oct. 8, 1929 y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PERCY'A. noBIaINs, oF HIGHLAND PARK, ILLINOIS SOUND-AIBSORBENT SHIELD FOR WALLS OF STUDIOS AND Til-IE LIKE `rigina1 application tiledl September '14, 1927, Serial No. 219,548, andin Canada August 17, 1927. Divided and this application led November 30, 1928. Serial No. 322,896.

This application is a division of my copending application 219,548, filed September' 14th, 1927. l

In the arts of broadcasting sounds electrically through the ether and recording sounds phonographically, it is desirable for satisfactory results that there shall be no interference by extraneous sounds or by echoes or reverberations within the. studios Where the 1o sounds originate.

It is customary to hang cloth drapes upon or in front of the' studio Walls, or to cover the walls and ceilingwith sound absorbing fabrics which are usually of a soft texture. Such 15 fabrics present fiat surfaces and though moro or less eiiicient as sound-absorbents, they rellect some sound Waves.

My invention consists in suspending loose strips such as threads or strings or yarns or cor s or ropes or tapes from brackets along the tops of the Walls, thus shielding the Walls from sound Waves by a barrier of such loose strings or yarns or cords or.. ropes or tapes'. The barrier elements may be hung as close togetheras the conditions demand, and they maybe so suspended from the Walls so as to avoid any semblance of forming flat surfaces. In the preferred arrangementv a plurality of rows or series of said strips, niore'or less irregular, are interposed between the Walls of the chamber and its interior.

The elements of my invention do not possess flat reiiecting surfaces individually nor do they form fiat reflecting surfaces collectively. Each element hangs freely and reacts freely and independently of others to the iniuence of sound Waves and the barrier of spaced and staggered strips breaks up and absorbs the sound Waves just as fringes of grass or reeds along the bordersy of' lakes and rivers Hatten out and quell the Water Waves Which impinge upon them.

To avoid the refiection of sound ivaves from the ceilings of studios orl rooms I hang nu.- merous strips such as threads or strings or yarns or cords or ropes or tapes with their lower ends free and I make the elements of different4 and various lengths so that their lower ends shall not collectively form a' semblance of flat reflecting surfaces. The sound Waves become immeshed in the hanging elements and are absorbed in doing Work upon the hanging structure.

One embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, Which are mainly diagrammatic, and in which Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a studio constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 a horizontal section on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1; and

y Fig. 3 a Vertical section of part of the studio on the line 3-3 in Fig. 1. y In the drawings like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures. l

The Walls 1 and top 2 of the studio are of any ordinary construction. A door v3 and Windows 4 are provided as may be required.

Around the Walls of the room are hung the strips 5, preferably of soft flexible material. These strips are supported from. their upper ends by any suitable means. A convenient vmeans is to forni them as fringes connected by suitable tapes such as 6, which may be either secured to the ceiling or to brackets 7 positioned adjacent the ceiling. The strips are preferably positioned in a plurality of rows, as shown in Fig. 2, in such a manner that the strips of one row are instaggered relationship to the strips ofadjacent rows. `With such an arrangement the inner surface of the shield so formed does not present a fiat reflecting surface and thesound waves are absorbed bei fore the Waves reach the Walls ofthe chamber. Similar fringes or strips 8 are secured to the ceiling so that the strips are closely spaced in any direction, the strips being preferably of different length so as to present an irregular under surface, if such it may be called.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings, for the sake of clearness, the shield in front or the far-wall of the studio is omitted.

What l claim as my invention is:

1. A studio in which. sounds may be produced for record or translation comprising a chamber, and a sound absorbent shield formed of numerous closely spaced narrow strips arranged in a plurality of series spaced from one another and from an interior surtace of the chamber.

2. A studio in which sounds may be produced for record or translation comprising a chamber, and a sound absorbent shield formed of numerous closely spaced narrow strips of soft, flexible material arranged in a plurality of series spaced from one another and from an interior surface of the chamber. 3. A studio in which sounds may be produced for record or translation comprising a chamber and a sound absorbent wall shield 1 iormed'ot numerous closely lspaced narrow strips arranged in a plurality of rows spaced from one another and the walls of the charn-- ber and hung in a vertical position from their upper ends.

Ll. A. studio in which sounds may be pronarrow strips hung in a Vertical position beia'diderent distances from the, door level.

y low the ceiling.

6. A studio in which sounds may be produced for record or translation comprising a chamber and a sound absorbent ceiling shield `formed of numerous closely spaced narrow strips of'soft, flexible material hung in a Vertical position below the ceiling.

7. 'A studio in which sounds may be produced for record or translation comprising a chamber and a sound absorbent ceiling shield formed of numerousV closely spaced narrow strips hung in a Vertical position below the ceiling, the lower ends of the strips being positioned at dierent distances from the floor level.

'8. A studiol in which sounds may be produced for record or translation comprising a chamber and a sound absorbent ceiling shield formed of numerous closely spaced narrowl strips of sot, flexible material hung 9.A. studio in which sounds may be p'roduced for recordv or translationromprising a chamber and a sound absorbent shield formed of numerous closely spaced narrowv positioned at diderent distances from the wall and in staggered relationship.

l0. studio in which sounds may be pro. duced for record or translation comprising a chamber and a sound absorbent shield formed of numerous closely spaced narrow strips of soft, flexible material supported in a vertical. position and positioned at diderent distances from the wall and in staggeredl relationship. y

Signed at Highland Park, lll., this l5 day of November, 1928.

PERCY A. ,RGBBNS eef ico 

